1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to integrated circuits, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for testing integrated circuits.
2. Description of the Background Art
A system for testing integrated circuits may include a tester, a probe card, and a prober. The tester is typically a commercially available automated test equipment (ATE), such as those available from Advantest Corporation, for example. The prober supports and houses the integrated circuit being tested, which is also referred to as the “device under test” or DUT. The prober may also house the probe card. The probe card electrically couples the tester to the DUT, thereby allowing the tester to send and receive electrical signals to and from the DUT.
A typical probe card includes a wired connection to a tester. A probe card also includes a removable connection to a DUT. This removable connection, referred to as a “probe”, is attached to the probe card. During testing, the probe is touched down on a contact point such as a metal pad on the DUT. Because the tester is electrically coupled to the DUT via the probe, it is desirable to have a probe that makes a good electrical connection with a contact point.